SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region – Political parties in Iraqi Kurdistan are discussing the formation of a new government following last month’s parliamentary elections, but observers say that may take time because the opposition Change Movement’s (Gorran) poll victory has transformed the political landscape.
Within 30 days President Massoud Barzani is expected to ask his winning Kurdistan Democratic Party to form the next government, but the KDP itself may need to reach out to potential allies to cobble together a coalition.
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the KDP’s current partner in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), has been in turmoil since ceding its traditional role as the region’s second-strongest party to Gorran.
Some PUK officials say the party may stay out of the next government, and there are internal calls for it to go into opposition.
“Among PUK’s leaders there are two views: One is to become an opposition, while the other calls for participating in the formation of the government,” said a PUK official speaking on condition of anonymity.
“However, I believe PUK will end up participating in the formation of the government with certain conditions,” he said.
Meanwhile, some observers believe that forming a government may not be possible within the 30-day time period.
Dr Jutiyar Ali, political science professor at Salahaddin University, said that is because Gorran’s victory against the PUK has transformed the political landscape.
“Things are too complicated,” he said. “Now, the KDP, PUK and an opposition party have to negotiate in order to make it a strong government,” he said.
But Latif Sheikh Omar, a member of the PUK leadership council, said he believes that the idea of his party joining the next government may not even be on the agenda of the next high-level meeting. “The meeting will determine PUK’s own future,” he said.
Different scenarios have already been speculated about the composition of the next government, among them a joint government by the KDP, the Islamic Union and the Sodalist Party. A second picture is a coalition government of the KDP and Gorran.
In all cases, the talk of the new government may bring to an end the alliance Kurdistan’s three opposition parties have enjoyed in the past four years, as one or two of them may have to walk out to join the government.
Hiwa Mirza Sabir, a leader of the Islamic Union said that opposition parties can still hold talks about their future plans, but that they do not feel obliged to “negotiate with the winning party together.”
He said that his party has preconditions to join the next government, the main one being the end to the strategic agreement between the PUK and KDP.
Sabir admits that the winning party may as well present its own conditions for any partner in the government.
Senior Gorran leader Dr Derbaz Muhammad believes a cabinet in which the PUK and Gorran are both present is unlikely, namely due to mutual animosity: Gorran was formed in 2009, after breaking away from the PUK.
“PUK has not forgotten 2009 and has not adapted to the new reality. Therefore, the chances for reconciliation between Gorran and PUK are very slim,” Muhammad said.
Comments
3 2 Bakir Lashkari | 20 hours ago
To my view the national kurdish Government is one of the options, it could be taken into the considerations. Why it is important at this point of time for the Kurds to be United?There are a number of reason which might jutsify the outcome of all Kurdish Parties should participate in the new forming KRG. If you look at the situation in Syria which is also very crucial for the security, stability and Economic situation in the KRG related to The Kurdish situation in Turkey, which direction it is going to.On the other hand the uncertain situation of Iran and it's the Nuclaire ambitions which threathing the enitre world including Israël. Recently Iran threatend The KRG by using it's the terroteries to help the Assad Regime.Turkey is still in negotiation with the Kurdish Parties and no results have been reached yet to settle the peaceful agreement, although the PKK laid down the weapons.No clarity yet when and Eujalan could be released and what are the conditions? The situation in Iraq, especially between Baghdad & KRG is very uncertain and the article 140 not has been finalized yet, although it was agreed in 2007, The upcoming National Kurdish Conference for the unity, it is still postponing and no agreement has been agreed upon who will the leader.The Kurdistan Parties in other parts are divided and in some cases fighting against each other, which causes many refugees who left Syria to South of Kurdistan.One of my recent discussions in Holland with Mr Salih Muslim was, that hè thanks his party is the only Kurdish movement us who is for the Kurdish people and pretending the democracy in Syria as well as related to the ideology if PKK. When I ased Mr Salih Mulims, do you realize that you have to listen to the laedership of South Kurdistan as they have a long history, experiences and forming the Parliament and administration in The KRG? Hè answers like we listen to our own people and we have our own alliances, which means that hè does not need the South Kurdistan, which I made subsequently the following remarks by using that you will be out of the babble, because you do not have any Joker, like the Oil & Gas to negotiate with your counterparts for short and long terms. The Moral of my plead in this crucial Kurdistan Circumtances is to do your atmost best to Unite all Kurdish fractions and demand that the security, stability and Economic development startegy Kurdistan should be undelined by all political Parties and protecting the Kurdish rights and borders at all times! There will be never ever consensus in the Kurdish terroteries like Kirkuk and other places outside the KRG administration and should be annexed back to The KRG Region.Only the United Kurdish Parties could raise one Voice! One plan and one demand and there is only one President of Kurdistan at this time of uncertainty in the entire middle east, and that is Mr Massoud Barzani!
Report
4 4 Stewee Guy | 18 hours ago
I think the result of the election is a clear lesson for the Kurdistan that there is no place for "forever leaders" in real democratic elections. If the leader forces himself against his people's will then the result will be is what we saw in Iraq and what we are seeing in Syria now. A message for the PUK: the way you are handling the news of Talbani's health is even worst than the way the commonest Soviet used to do more than 30 years ago.
Report
3 2 Slemani | 15 hours ago
To the writer, lern journalism and politics before you write a article. Before you say that a party had a victory you must compere the results of this election with the last election in 2009. If you do that you will see, that Gorran lost one seat, so dont say that Gorran had a victory. The only one who had a victory was the PDK which won 8 seats more compared to the 2009 elections.
Report
1 0 Awat | 12 hours ago
Slemani, I think the writer has done a good job of portraying an unbiased and unemotional view of the early political landscape following the recent elections. I agree with your math; however, the election outcome should not be a debate of who won and who lost, but rather a debate of how the various parties can work together to continue the existing plurastic democracy. Although I do not support Gorran, I do congradulate them on their recent success in the elections.
